Winter falls upon Alaska, and the four groups are pushed to their limits to collect enough food, water and firewood to survive. Several groups go hunting, Tim into the mountains for goat, and Jeff and Elizabeth search for moose on Icy Bay, but neither hunting party has any experienced hunters in their groups.

Tim, Allan and Jasmine learn that hiking from Flower Lake to Hawkins Glacier is no walk in the park. They estimate their journey will take three days as the crow flies, but they have some major obstacles in their way: blizzards, ice shelves, rivers, and the toll taken by their bodies from dehydration. Greg and Bernice have some problems as well at Hawkins Glacier, and Jeff and Elizabeth take a trip of their own to find the mouth of Icy Bay.

Tim, Allan and Jasmine finally make it to Hawkins Glacier, but Greg and Bernice tell their visitors that they don't have enough food to share with them, forcing the threesome to make a critical decision- stay at the Glacier and fend for themselves, or return to Flower Lake. At Icy Bay, Jeff and Elizabeth weigh their options when a family crisis hits back home, and the Wise family come together when Dennis reveals a health issue of his own.

It's time for the four groups to return to civilization, but first they have to hike to the the rescue plane, battling dehydration and cold along the way. Once back, they go through some unexpected culture shock when they get back to the bright, electric lights of home.